PDM Overview
Overview of Features How does PDM differ from other Vic2 mods? Some mods, like VRRP, are designed to balance the economy but otherwise keep as close to Victoria II mechanics as possible without introducing new events. Others, like Divergences, opt for an "alternate timeline" approach and present an entirely new what-if world history. PDM opts to change only those mechanics we feel are necessary-- though sometimes in fundamental ways -- as well as including a host of new events. Our goal is not to force the world down a deterministic path so it aligns with actual history, but to set up events so such a path is at least possible and to otherwise ensure we include events which are historically plausible. If the player does nothing and just watches events unfold, things will tend to follow historical paths, but with ample room for divergences. Enabling players to pursue historical goals (or not) in a rich historical context is our guiding principle. *Balanced and expanded economy with new and alternative production chains, including 16 new goods and over 20 additional factories *Modified POP behavior and domestic and foreign migration – more focus on available jobs and reforms and not just the presence of “Democracy” *Entirely re-written promotion system, so that well-off pops promote and poor pops demote *Research point generation modified and balanced to emphasize literacy and clergy but factor in contributions from bureaucrats, artisans, and clerks *Revised and rebalanced technology tree, with over 100 new inventions -- it allows viable alternative paths of development rather than favoring “super techs” and breaks technology rollouts down into smaller advances (e.g., there’s more than one way to get the minimum liferating you need after 1880) *More important role for National Focus & National Values *Completely reworked political system, leading to greater synergy between the Upper House and government *Revised rebels and revolutions, including event-based subsystems and "patriots" that reclaim territory *Revised military units (e.g., distinguishing professional regulars from colonial or mobilized reserve brigades) and military combat system, including terrain combat modifiers *Revised Casus Belli system and infamy costs, promoting sensible AI use of wargoals and making it impractical to swallow large uncivilized countries in a single bite *Great Wars & Infamy Wars, increasing the scope of late game wars *New unification mechanics for many cultural unions such as Germany, Italy, Arabia and Scandinavia to make these realistically achievable *Dozens of new Countries existing at start and some 200 more that can form during the game, including many from the New Nations Mod *Hundreds of new events and decisions, including the Taiping Rebellion, the Congress of Berlin, the Oriental Crisis, the British Dominions, the Warlord Era and the Boer Wars among many others. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 'I don't have the 1.4 beta patch. Can I still use PDM?' Yes. The 3.x.x series of releases was for the 1.3 version of Victoria 2. You can download it here, but beware: there are a lot of features that have gone into PDM since then, and the 3.x.x series is now unsupported. It works, however; "unsupported" simply means there won't be any new fixes to any issues that were remaining, and once the final 1.4 patch is released we can put the 3.x.x series to bed. 'I have an entire list of casus bellis, but they look all screwed up.' You installed a 4.x.x version of PDM without installing the latest beta patch (which changed how wargoals are validated). Don't argue, yes you did. Go back and install the beta patch, then reinstall PDM again. If you don't have access to the beta patch, then you may only use the 3.x.x version of PDM. 'I can't declare war! What the hell is happening?!' There are a few possibilities. One, and most common, is that you have a government in power with a Pacifism war policy. If that's the case, there's a very limited number of wargoals you can use without already being at war with someone (meaning you can apply wargoals if already at war, but not start a war with them). Another possibility, if you're very late into the game, is that you've been involved in a Great War. If so, once the war is done you'll gain the "No More War" country modifier. This will severely restrict you ability to start wars. If your country was not dismantled after the Great War, you'll have the modifier for three years. If it was, you'll have it for ten. The last possibility is that you're trying to declare war on Switzerland (or are playing Switzerland). If Switzerland has taken the Neutrality decision, then it's ability to declare war or be declared upon is severely limited. 'I want to give feedback on PDM. How do I do that?' You can go to the PDM forum and post to either the specific feedback thread for the version you're using or on the "Suggestions" thread. Just a note of caution: it's okay to relay your observations about the game(s) you've played, but avoid posting conclusions as if those are the same thing. "There are too many rebels" or "X should be made weaker" are not observations, and are less helpful. Also, beware of making generalizations based on a single playthrough... events can vary significantly from one game to the next, so just because something happens in one game doesn't mean it will happen that way in every game. Feel free to make recommendations based on your observations, but in the end the mod staff will need to make judgement calls based on our experience with the system. Chances are whatever you think the answer is, it's not as simple as you'd assume and will affect five other things you never imagined.